Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bicycle and motorcycle U-locks, more specifically, to a cover for protecting the keyway of a U-lock from the environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the invention of the bicycle and motorcycle lock comprising a U-shaped shackle and a tubular crossbar, the U-lock has become a favorite. The original U-lock has its keyway, the access point through which a key is used to secure the shackle to the crossbar, at the end of the crossbar. A major improvement in the design of the U-lock occurred when the keyway was moved from the end of the crossbar, where it was vulnerable to attack by someone intent on destroying the lock, to the side of the crossbar between the shackle legs, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,746. Although much less vulnerable to attack, the side-located keyway is more vulnerable to the environment, particularly dirt and mud, than the end-located keyway of the original U-lock. When not being used to the secure a vehicle, the original U-lock was typically held by a bracket that at least partially protected the keyway from the environment. The side-located keyway does not receive the same protection by a holding bracket. In addition, newer methods for holding U-locks, such as the U-lock holder designed into the bicycle rack of U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,609, provide even less protection for the keyway.
There are several keyway protectors in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,142 discloses a sliding keyway protector. However, it requires that a rigid sheath with rails on which the protector cover slide be positioned on the U-lock crossbar. U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,609 discloses a rotating keyway protector. It, too, requires a rigid sheath on the U-lock crossbar to provide grooves in which the protector cover rotates. U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,762 also discloses a rotating keyway protector. While it does not require a sheath, it is secured to the U-lock crossbar by the shackle, so it is possible to lose the protector when the shackle is disengaged from the crossbar.
In order to protect the object being secured from damage, some U-locks are coated with a resilient material, such as vinyl. Neither the ""142 or ""609 keyway protectors would work with a resilient coating because they each require a rigid sheath for operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a keyway protector that can be used on a vinyl-coated U-lock.
The present invention is a keyway protector for use with a U-lock that has a crossbar and a shackle, with a keyway in the side of the crossbar. Optionally, the crossbar is sheathed in a resilient material, such as vinyl.
The U-lock keyway protector has a housing and the slider. The housing is shaped to hug the crossbar surface so that environmental contaminates cannot get between the housing and crossbar. Screws extend through holes in the housing and into threaded holes in the crossbar to secure the keyway protector to the crossbar. Optionally, the housing has legs that fit into openings in the vinyl sheath.
The housing inner surface has a shallow depression for the slider and a keyhole-shaped aperture between the depression and the outer surface of the housing. The larger hole of the aperture is at least as large as the keyway and the narrower slot extends away from the aperture hole toward one of the mounting holes.
The slider has a arched sheet and a knob. The sheet fits in the depression 56 and is arched to follow the curve of the crossbar. The sheet has a through hole at least the size of the keyway.
The slider moves between an open position, where the slider hole is aligned with the aperture hole to permit access to the keyway, and a closed position, where they are not aligned, denying access to the keyway. A knob is used to move the slider between the open and closed positions. A neck that fits and slides within the aperture slot connects the knob to the sheet, with the knob outside of the housing.
The slider can be held in the open or closed position either by friction. In the present implementation, the slider includes opposed pivoting arms with outwardly extending protrusions. The protrusions snap into opposed notches in the walls of the depression, one set of notches for the open position and one set of notches for the closed position.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.